


Completely Clueless

by LibbyWeasley



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Academy Era, Clueless Adorkable Nerds, Dating Advice, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-08 06:53:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15925172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LibbyWeasley/pseuds/LibbyWeasley
Summary: Academy Era. Fitz can't figure out how to tell Jemma how he feels. Jemma notices he is distracted and gives him some dating advice, which he tries to follow. It isn't his fault Jemma is completely clueless.





	Completely Clueless

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by @sinarasmith and her murder blueberries being completely adorable in For a Fool (https://archiveofourown.org/works/15840549), where Kasius attempts to tell Sinara how he feels. If you haven’t read it yet, you absolutely should. In fact, go do that now. It is the best kind of fluff. I kept thinking about FS while I was reading it, and this is what happened.
> 
> As always, a huge thank you to @blancasplayground for encouraging my madness :)

Fitz stared down at the equations swimming across the paper in front of him. Jemma had just said those three little words he had been longing to hear, and it made everything else in his life practically irrelevant.

“We broke up.”

Jemma had said it matter-of-factly, without any real emotion behind it, so he wasn’t sure if she was upset or not.

As her best friend, Fitz knew he was supposed to be supportive. But all he felt was hope...mingled with uncertainty. When Jemma started dating Milton, Fitz knew he had lost his opportunity to tell her how he felt, and he promised himself if he ever got another chance he’d take it.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to marshal his nerves.

“Fitz...are you ok? You seem really distracted”

Jemma was so close, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder, and he tried to swallow around the lump in his throat.

“Ah...well, there is something I need to say to --”

Looking directly into her eyes his voice faltered and he started to lose his nerve. But it didn’t matter because, as usual, she picked up on the lost thread of his thought.

“Oh, Fitz...do you have a crush?”

Her smile was blinding, and he relaxed reflexively in response, even though this was potentially the most embarrassing moment of his life.

“Who is it?” Jemma licked her lips and tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

He looked at her blankly.

“Maybe I can help.” She looked away for a moment, then continued. “I want you to be happy.”

Fitz felt his heart drop. He really couldn’t just say it now. He’d feel foolish if she _had_ understood the direction of his thoughts and was trying to let him down gently.

“Help?” he asked, repeating the only part of this conversation he felt comfortable clinging to.

“Of course.” She nodded her head once, like her helping him get a girlfriend was no big deal. And maybe it wasn’t to her. “I know you and I know what women like. It just makes sense.”

Fitz was unable to respond, so he was somewhat grateful that she continued talking as if he had agreed.

“I assume she’s in your classes?” He nodded mutely at her, wondering if she really had no idea.

“Okay, then. You must know her well.”

All he could do was stare at her, at the absolute trainwreck of this conversation, eyes wide. He gave a jerky nod.

“So you, ah, like her...or --” Jemma trailed off, raising one hand in question, apparently unable to voice the words.

Mouth dry, Fitz forced his lips to move. “I love y -- her.”

“Oh.” Jemma swallowed and Fitz was struck again by how beautiful she was...and smart, and funny, and perfect. For him.

“Well...you should tell her how you feel.”

“It isn’t that simple, Simmons.” He flexed his fingers in a nervous gesture and turned back towards her to gauge her response. “I’m not sure she feels the same way.”

“Oh, Fitz,” she said, coming closer to wrap an arm around him. “She’s not very intelligent if she doesn’t see how amazing you are.”

“She’s the smartest person I know,” Fitz burst out, coming to her defense. In a roundabout way, Jemma was insulting herself.

Jemma shot him a sideways look. “I thought _I_ was the smartest person you know.”

Fitz felt heat rise on his neck. “Yeah...of course you are. I --”

“Then she isn’t the smartest person you know.” Jemma replied primly. “But either way, _my_ point is the same.”

She moved to the other side of the table.

Did she really not realize he was talking about her?

“It is really simple, Fitz. Women want to be with someone who values and respects them.”

Fitz almost banged his head on the table. It looked like Jemma was going to give him a lecture on what women wanted...on what _she_ wanted. Grabbing a pen, he flipped to a clean page in his notebook and started paying attention.

“You should give her compliments...but not meaningless compliments. They should show that you appreciate something specific about her, not just random genetics.”

Compliment her. Check.

“And you should make an effort to get to know her as a person before starting a relationship. Knowing you can be friends makes it much easier to navigate through a relationship, especially in a place like this.” Jemma smiled and looked rueful. “I think this is where I went wrong with Milton. He isn’t really the sort of guy I could be friends with. Not like you.”

Friendship. Right. He felt like he had a head start here.

“But mostly you just need to be honest with her. Tell her how you feel. You can’t just hide your feelings.”

Be honest. Her words were echoing through his mind.

Jemma had stopped her pacing and was looking at him earnestly.

“Just be honest? You really think it is that simple.”

Nodding her head, she said, “If she deserves someone as thoughtful and handsome as you, then it is that simple. And if she doesn’t, then maybe it isn’t meant to be.”

Did Jemma really think of him like that? Handsome? He decided to just say it.

“Jemma, I love you.”

“Okay...now go tell her that. I have to get to my next class” With that, she gave him a peck on the cheek and headed out the door.

Now Fitz did let his forehead drop onto the table. It appeared that Jemma Simmons, an actual genius, was completely clueless about how her best friend felt about her.

* * *

 

Over the next few days Fitz went out of his way to try to show Jemma how he felt. He had tried honesty and she hadn’t even noticed. So he tried complimenting her...a lot. On her work in the lab, on her answers during class, and finally when it seemed nothing was getting through, on how she had gotten her hair to curl into ringlets that he wanted to sink his fingers into.

And that had gotten him...nothing.

He was getting desperate. It had been nearly a week since Milton and Jemma had broken up and he could already sense the vultures circling. Jemma was never single for long and he was going to miss another opportunity if he wasn’t careful.

So that was why he was now preparing for their regular Friday night “date” in the Boiler Room with a little more care than usual.

He could do this. Probably. Maybe.

He was really out of options anyway. He had tried being her friend, although he probably did that too well. He had tried hinting that they would be good partners, which had just made her look at him strangely. He had complimented everything about her. He hadn’t tried telling her he loved her again, but that hadn’t worked the first time, so he wasn’t holding out hope for that.

No. More drastic measures were needed.

When he arrived at the Boiler Room it was to find the evening already in full swing. Jemma was surrounded by their usual group of friends...including Milton. That guy really was the worst. Less than a week after their breakup he was already back, ready for more.

“Fitz!” Jemma shouted from across the room.

He gave her a wave and pointed towards the bar. While he was waiting for his drink, he contemplated his plan again. He had to tell her and make her understand this time. Letting her go home with Milton or one of these other wankers was not an option.

Taking his drink from the counter he turned, and practically ran into Jemma.

“Dance with me, Fitz,” she insisted, pulling at his arm.

She must have read the shock in his eyes, because she said, “Milton asked me, but I told him I had to discuss an important lab question with you.”

One hand still pressed to his arm, the other came up to pick at his collar, though he knew for a fact there was nothing there, before smoothing down his shirt.

“So, why do I have to dance with you?” Fitz knew his brain wasn’t functioning properly with her touching him like that, but he wasn’t really following her logic.

Her eyes narrowed a little in concentration. “You look really nice tonight, Fitz. Are you -- is she here?”

Fitz took a big gulp of his beer and choked on it, coughing.

“Well, yes, she is here...but that isn’t. I mean --”

“No! It’s alright. If you’d rather not dance with me I’m sure I can find someone else…someone who isn’t Milton…” Jemma looked a little disappointed. She probably didn’t want to risk going back to their friends and getting pulled into another conversation with Milton.

“No! That isn’t what I meant.” Sighing, Fitz said, “Just let me finish my drink.”

Ten minutes later they were standing close together, their bodies touching in all of the important places as far as Fitz could tell. He could feel her breasts brush against him with every breath and his hands were grasping her tightly, too tightly maybe, around her waist. Their eyes locked in the dim light and, with the liquid courage doing its part, he leaned forward and kissed her right on the lips. He was so proud of himself for actually going through with it that it took him to a moment to realize she was kissing him back, their lips sliding against each other while her hands came up to grip his shoulders, pulling at the fabric of his shirt.

When they finally separated, needing to breathe, Fitz wasn’t sure what had happened. That had gone better than he had imagined.

Even though their lips were no longer touching, Jemma hadn’t let go of him, and he realized he had pulled her even closer. Forcing his hands to relax he let his arms encircle her loosely. More like a hug and less like he was trying to keep her from running away.

“Fitz?” Jemma sounded a little dazed. “I’m so sorry...I don’t know what got into me. I know you meant that for someone else. I shouldn't have kissed you back.”

Fitz smiled and brought a hand up to her cheek. She seemed really flustered by what had just happened. Maybe she wanted this too. “Jemma, you are being awfully dense.”

“Well I’m sorry if I don’t measure up to your mystery girl,” she said sharply. She tried to pull away, but Fitz tightened the arm still wrapped around her to keep her close.

“There isn’t a mystery girl --”

“-- but you said --”

“I know...but she...well, she’s you.”

“Me?” Jemma looked confused for a minute, and then she wasn’t. “Oh.”

Wrapping both arms around his neck, she said, “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Really? That is what you come up with? I tried to tell you. I really did.”

“I can see that now,’ she said with a laugh. “I just didn’t think...well, it doesn't matter I guess.”

Fitz was sure there was more to this story, but couldn’t find it in himself to care. Instead he leaned down for another kiss.

* * *

As they walked back to the dorms later that night, Jemma stopped him, looking up at the night sky. She turned back to face him and took both of his hands in her, lacing their fingers together.

“Why don’t you try telling me again?”

Fitz was still getting used to the easy way she touched him, never really losing contact. Their friendship was still there underneath these new feelings, but it was all more intense.

“Tell you what?” he asked, distractedly, trying to figure out why her hands were so cold.

She looked at him pointedly, and he understood her meaning, feeling uncomfortable all over again.

He was certain his hands had started sweating and he tried to put some distance between them. She let his hands go, but wound her arms around him, pulling them flush against each other and tipping her face up to look at him.

He wasn’t sure why this moment scared him so much, she had already heard him say the words after all. And with his arms full of Jemma there was really no way he wasn’t going to do anything - everything - she wanted.

He leaned down until their lips were almost touching, and whispered against her lips, “I love you, Jemma Simmons.”

He closed the last centimeters between them, but she had pulled back.

“I need to say something, too.”

A weight descended in Fitz’s stomach. He really hoped this wasn’t the moment she was going to say they should just be friends.

“You are the best friend I could ever have, and I can’t imagine a life without you. I—I love you, Fitz.”

She hardly got the words out before they were kissing again.

Fitz wasn’t exactly sure how they had gotten to this moment, but if what she said was true, then maybe he had been a little clueless too. But now they could figure this out...together.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @libbyweasley


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